Andrea Landaverde

Andrea, originally from El Salvador, is a PhD student in the Biology program. She earned her BS in Environmental Sciences from Zamorano University, and her MS degree in Environmental Toxicology from Clemson University. Prior to joining the Rodgers lab, Andrea worked as a marine technician at the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve and as a management scientist with The Nature Conservancy. Andrea is working on understanding coral immunity. Besides scuba diving, Andrea loves hiking, yoga, and spending time with her friends and family.

Jacob Collins

Jacob is currently a PhD student in the Toxicology program.  He joined us from Minnesota, where he was an undergraduate student and began exploring toxicology as an ORISE fellow.  Jacob is working on understanding microcystin distribution in oysters.  In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, reading, exercising, or avoiding the heat and humidity that seem to be a southern staple. 

Zach Zagon

Zach grew up in Cornwall, New York before attending the University of Miami where he received a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology with a minor in Ecosystem Science and Policy, and later an M.P.S. in Marine Biology and Ecology with a focus in Tropical Marine Ecosystems. During his time at UM, he worked in a variety of labs and on a wide range of projects. Zach was with the Ocean Acidification lab studying genotypic and physiological responses to environmental factors in staghorn coral. After graduating, he joined NOAA’s Coral Program where he worked on experiments to evaluate the effect of algal symbiont assemblages and environmental co-stressors on stony coral tissue loss disease and coral physiology in mountainous star coral. Zach also spent time at TAMU-CC with the Coastal Conservation and Restoration Ecology group studying oyster and serpulid reef conservation and ecology. As a GG Scholar and Genetics PhD student, his research interests lie in furthering our knowledge of reef building organisms’ microbiome responses to the changing environment and how to implement our findings into restoration and conservation. Outside of research, he is an avid SCUBA diver, and enjoys cooking, photography, and New York sports teams!